My wife likes to go on cruises with her children and her friends. I found your videos and we watch them together. I ask her often while we watch, “Do you agree with him?” She often does. I don’t cruise because I am basically a functional hermit. I have a good job but other than that I would rather just stay home. I mention that because it’s a testament to how good of a host you are and how well produced and written your videos are that I find them entertaining and informative even though I don’t cruise. We watch your videos often during the week. Keep up the good work!
Perhaps my favorite part of port days is watching from the decks as people run up the dock because the ship is minutes from departing. I'm a bit of a stickler for time, so tardiness irritates me. Great vid Gary!
Love seeing the a'holes who arrive late, running up the dock with their hands full of crap, expecting a ship that's already underway to suddenly stop and back up for them! Ain't gonna happen. Once they've had to pay for a flight to the next port I'm guessing they're be a bit more on time. Too bad, so sad (not!).
Not all people coming late are just late jerks. Sometimes things really happen that make them late. My cruise was running late because the ship before us could not dock due to weather so we had to wait like 6 hours to board. We were 2 hours from home so we just got a hotel room to wait and take a nap. I woke up and had started my period and I'm normally heavy but this was OMG and early! I had to get my luggage out of the car, bring it up, shower, then rinse out my clothes and bed sheets, then find a trash bag to put my wet clothes in LOL. Horrible! I know to much info but true story! We didn't miss the ship but yes we were running with a bunch of crap in our hands lol.
@@MiaMia-rx9dw things happen, you’re right! I was just talking about people who knowingly spend too long in port/aren’t mindful of times. Lol we’ve been caught up trying to board before as well, it’s not fun
Lawrence Beesley, who was a second class passenger on the Titanic, tells the story of a group of stokers running up to the ship and shouting to be let on at Southhampton after its gangways had closed. They probably had spent too long in a pub, and because they missed the sail time their jobs had been given away. No doubt their frustration turned to relief a few days later.
My biggest annoyance on cruises is waiting for people who have not respected the meet up time. I find it totally disrespectful to the people that are there on time. Thanks Gary for your great video. I always enjoy them.
There's a reason for the term "Island Time". People are on vacation. Chill out and relax. Have you ever not gotten to go on a tour because someone showed up late? Nope. I hope you learn to relax and quit being irritated so easily. When people are late, look around you. People watch. Realise just where you are and how many people would love to trade places with you. That being said, some people have silly pet peeves. If my wife puts the toilet paper roll on backwards, it's instant RED!. lol.
trbig67 My boyfriend puts the roll with the loose end to the back. I always switch it the other way immediately. He’s never said anything. I believe FB polls say most like the loose end coming off the front side!!😜 I agree with the original poster about the late people. Not having it. Even on vacation I’m still Type A!
@@davidb9806 Don't worry. I know a lot of people with the patience of a gnat that can't seem to help it no matter how ridiculous something is. Just to be clear, I'm not the one who arrives late, but watching people like you begin to fume after as little as 5 or 10 extra minutes... well that's just more enjoyment for people like me. It's too bad people can't see how petty things like this really are. lol.
I was on a Carnival cruise during which the "muster drill" was that each passenger had to don his/her life jacket in the cabin and then report to his/her assigned lifeboat station, which makes sense to me. I don't understand why anyone would want to duck it; it could save your life.
People don't want to think about unpleasant things like disaster or death while on vacation. They want to turn their brains off and be totally self indulgent.
when travelling never be complacent with your safety. I was witness to a near fatal snowmobile accident in CO years back but due to be cautious nature I was not involved. The muster drill should be important and understood by every member in your party or family .It's not joke when the warning siren goes off especially in the dark hours
This happened to a whole bunch of people on a Hawaiian cruise I went on. Close to a hundred people were left behind because their luau dinner excursion took way too long. However, it was the cruise line's fault and they flew them out to the next port to reunite with the ship lol.
We were on an excursion in Tunisia and the coach driver/guide left one couple who were late to leave...we were in the middle of the desert! Everybody arrived early to leave at the other places we visited that day!!!👍😉🙈
In New Zealand you cop a $400 ($US260) instant citation if you try and take fruit and some other food ashore. Pests/ diseases can be devastating to the nation's economy.
They tried stopping my daughter from taking pre packaged fruit grain bars on shore , she is diabetic, i had words with two gents and there dogs. Which twice bit down on her bag. And totally ripped it apart. Told them to " xxxx off" and went back to boat. Ended up disembarking and flying to Italy, rented a car and went to Ferrari main plant, which is basically a city. Then drive up to Genoa , then Monoco. It was way better then ship. Cost alot . But really worth it. Unfortunately ill never be able to afford that again. So whatever .ill shut up now.
In Fiji. Every stop we had the same couple late back to the bus. Our final stop was reduced to just 15 minutes because of this and... late again. The guide announced we'd wait a maximum of 15 minutes and then we'd leave. He also called in the delay (i would guess) to the ship. Probably to formal permission too for the "leave behind". The chat amongst everyone was expressing frustration for sure. But we were also excited about leaving them behind. As we counted down the minutes... they sadly reappeared. They took their reserved seats at the back of the bus. You should have heard the loud comments from the front of the bus about "entitled", "ignoramuses" etc.
As an Ex Coach driver, I would often leave late returning Pax behind, they would get a severe warning before alighting that the coach would not be delayed for anyone. A ship has a set departure time based on the Tide, if they miss it they would be delayed by at least 11 hours in some ports due to the depth of the channel or the allocation of a Pilot for the port. Time and Tide does not wait for any man.
I’m a helmsman on the Mississippi River. Couple of times we’ve been late and gotten bitched out by the harbor master of traffic channel because we hold up an entire bridge. The tide waits for nothing.
Many years back I walked through the Lido deck restaurant on Carnival sans shirt (I have body hair to rival bigfoot, not to mention a serious beer belly). No signs up about shirts and shoes. A year later I saw signs. So could I personally be responsible for those rules?
@@derekhall1934 actually I entered the hairy chest contest on my first cruise back in 1993 on the Ecstacy. I did not win since it is really judged on entertaining the crowd. If it was judged by objectively measuring chest hair density and volume, I could have won on almost all of the 14 cruises I have been on. One notable exception was the Conquest back in 2002. The 10 guys who entered were so hairy the cruise director even announced that in all the years he has been doing this, he has never seen so many hairy men on the same ship...
@Handsome B. Wonderful so is the 'disapproving head shake' because I lack the self-awareness to realize on my own that walking shirtless past people trying to enjoy their Lido dining experience is not a good idea, or because I ruined it for others wanting to walk around shirtless?
I’ve taken about twenty cruises on four different cruise lines. All your comments are spot on. I’ve seen all of these rules broken to some degree. Sadly there are always folks who feel rules don’t apply to them
True this! I've been on cruises when the stupid, inconsiderate parents, allow infants to float about in the pool clad only in a nappy. EVERYBODY OUT! It's nasty....unfortunately you rarely see any of the ship crew do anything to stop it.
My last rock 'n' roll cruise was aboard a Royal Caribbean ship. Hardly anybody was ever in one of the pools (because we had wall-to-wall concert performances to go to) but there was nevertheless a lifeguard on duty at every pool and water slide.
With the pool rule, Disney is very strict about the adult only pools. I was 18 and I was asked to show ID about 6 times while I was in the pool because i didn't look "old enough". I was very irritated after the 3rd time because I don't look that young and the same people kept asking me.
It sometimes isn't being afraid of enforcing rules as it is choosing their battles. Some rules are for safety. some are for convenience. They usually put a preference on making sure safety rules are followed while hoping the passengers will police themselves in other areas. Most of the crew is not there with for function other rule enforcing. Time they spend reminding passengers about rules is time that they are not spending performing their primary task. Thus it is in their best interest to ignore things, and just look straight ahead at all times. When at sea, crew members put in 10-14 hour days. This is stressful enough without having to listen to some Karen threaten to call the Captain on them.
@@deendrew36 Is this any different from the highway patrol. They Don't go pulling over everyone who isn't buckled up, using turn signals or hanging out in the left hand lane when they are not passing cars. They pick and choose the worst offenders.
With the alcohol, I used to like to just bring a bottle of Vodka on in my carry on (Royal Caribbean used to allow 2 bottles of wine on board in Australia) so if they catch it then I just pretend to have got confused. If it passes through, you have vodka, if not you get your bottle back later anyway
@@johniii8147 Find someone that makes wine as a hobby, like I do. A dark green wine bottle is best. Try to keep the labels immaculate. I fill it with drink of choice, shove a new cork in it, then use a shrink wrap top that any brewing shop sells, and it looks like a perfectly innocent bottle of wine. I have don this many, many times for people going on cruises. Me? I avoid the corkage fees by just carrying it on. You can find heavy plastic hidden flasks that you wear like a fanny pack. I always board with a baggy pair of cargo shorts. These flasks will hold a full liter of alcohol. (When new, get some cheap vodka and let it soak in the bag for several days to remove the plastic taste) When I leave the boat at a stop, I carry my empty flask in my pocket or bag, find a local liquor store and buy a bottle. Every cruise port I have been to has a public restroom somewhere before you get on the ship. Go in a stall, fill up the bag and strap it on, throw the bottle in the trash and walk onboard. Just be sure to get all the air bubbles out so you don't slosh when you walk. lol.
@@trbig67 During my last visit to Curaçao, I bought 8 bottles of the liquer they specialize in. That was in one huge box. I also found a local liquor store & bought a 1.75 liter bottle of vodka that I put in my backpack. When my gear was x-rayed when I got back on the ship, I checked the Curaçao at the desk & got on the elevator with my backpack, no one the wiser. Sneaking liquor onto a cruise ship has gotten harder (I remember the days when I'd walk into the port on the first day with a liter of 'Evian' (vodka) in my hand and no one would bat an eye) but it's not impossible. And yeah, I've got a set of those silicone bags that I haul around all the time, they certainly are a money saver. (I'm not paying 11 bucks for a drink, no matter where I am.)
I appreciate and enjoy your presentations. I was on the QM2 in April and I was fortunate to stay in one of the new solo staterooms. I loved it and I was very comfortable in it. What a wonderful few moments to wake up with the Statue of Liberty right in my window!
After having taken five cruises now, going on a sixth this summer, I absolutely love cruising. Now, these rules are correct and people do break them, but I haven’t ever had any of these ruin a vacation for me, nor have I noticed to be honest.
Whenever I've visited a cruise port, I have NOT booked an excursion; I just went around on my own and saw what I wanted to see. However, whatever the stated return time, I would always be on the dock at least a half hour before then, just to MAKE SURE that I wasn't stranded in some third world country!
It's going to be interesting to see which way the formal nights go in the future. I recently went to Alaska so putting on a tie and and blazer wasn't too bad, but if I was in the Caribbean I'm not sure I would have been too excited to wear pants just to eat. I don't know if the younger generation is into the whole nightly dining like it used to be in the past.
I hate having to pack a full formal wear just for one or two nights! I'd just as soon go elsewhere to eat on those nights. Plenty of choices across the ship.
My husband has 2 suits for summer that are seersucker. he LOVES them and they’re super comfy and light in the Caribbean. Perfect for our more ‘formal’ nights
My most annoying cruise was royal Caribbean Mediterranean cruise .full of big Americans hogging the buffet filling their plates sometimes two with enormous portions as if they were starved or hadn't heard they could return to the buffet several times it put me off my own food so i waited till near end of service to have my sandwich .
People being late for meet ups is frustrating. We went on an all day excursion to Rome and the same two ladies were late at every opportunity. It reached the point mid afternoon where we were about to go round the Vatican and our guide asked us to stay together whilst she sorted out the tickets and when we could enter. Sure enough she got back and handed us our tickets and she was left holding two. Ten minutes later the two ladies strolled back up having gone off into the Vatican shop. It is the only occasion I have seen a tour guide really angry, she tore a strip off the two ladies for being selfish and inconsiderate. As my dad used to say, you cant educate pork, as we were getting on the bus to drive back to the ship guess who was late? Answers on a postcard.
I got tired of sneaking alcohol on board so now I just make sure I book a cruise that includes the beverage package where I only have to pay the gratuities.
Enjoyed the video a lot, but will probably never take a cruise. We started to look at one seriously about 2 years ago, but my wife got sick. On one cruise, my friend saw a crew member grab a woman sitting on the rail and forcibly pull her onto the deck. She shrieked and cursed. The crewman explained what would happen if she fell in the drink and let her know he didn't give an aerobatic assignation about her dignity or her "rights" and that he'd see she was confined to quarters and removed from the ship if she did it again.
Really you don’t have to worry about noravirus on Royal Caribbean they make you wash your hands and use sanitizer literally every time you go to eat something, like at the windjammer where I go for breakfast they make you wash your hands literally every time, someone tried to skip it and they wouldn’t let him eat until he did. They’re actually really strict on keeping things clean.
@@hysteria67 Not unlucky. The opposite as they all need to be strict. I mean stupid passengers who are too lazy to do something that takes seconds risking the health of others as well as themselves should not be tolerated. I have heard P & O are not being strict enough so I hope they crack down. Dirty irresponsible passengers need to be treated like naughty children :) It is sad that it is even necessary to enforce as it should be a natural thing to do.
As someone who got hit with norovirus the last two days of a Mediterranean cruise, I can tell you: WASH YOUR HANDS! I have no idea how I picked it up as I'm one who is oh so careful about what I touch. It is like the stomach flu x 100! My ribs hurt for a WEEK due to the uncontrollable heaving I experienced for a whole night! Spent the two days in my cabin as I could barely crawl to the toilet. No way I had the strength to go outside nor should I have.
Our last cruise muster drill was in the theater. We were told in the event of an emergency, once those on deck were mustered, we would then proceed from there. IOW, "Yes, Jack Dawson, if there is time, we will come for you and Kate."
"emergency drills" are not "drills" actually is more like a "teaching class of how put the life jacket and where to meet in case of emergency because you will be too drunk to do anything more than the basic" as soon you get on the ship and they announce these "drills" just go there and listen, it will take just 20min and you will be free after that. I did and I got free in no time. my sister delayed 1 day untill the crew called her by name and forced her to go there...
Do the safety drill and get it over with. Even though you don't want to think about something as depressing as a ship maintenance crisis in the midst of the ocean, just do it so that you can protect yourself if things go totally wrong.
Just got off of a cruise and one big one I noticed...disembarking before you're supposed to. People will get off well before their zone is called and they're never stopped.
@@fairamir1 on Carnival anyway, after those who are taking off all of their luggage themselves disembark, those who had most or all of their luggage taken off by the crew are released to disembark and get their luggage. Their luggage is grouped in zones for easy retrieval. Diamond level is released first, then platinum, then Faster to the Fun cruisers (zone 3). After that it's basically by floor level. The zone is the area your luggage is placed after getting off the boat and you know your zone because you tag all your luggage with the tags they give you a day or two before disembarkation.
Theo Hugs It’s called a preventative measure. There have definitely been fires on balconies from cigarettes left burning. When you smoke on your balcony other rooms can smell it.
Princess’ Star Princess cruise ship in 2006. Some reports say it was a flicked cigarette and others say it was from a smoker in the room. Realize that when there is a fire in the middle of an ocean you can’t call 911.
It is very touching from cruiseliners rule no2. They actually care about their guest's health by preventing them from drinking in excess. I didn't know they care so much for the people. Kudos to them for that!
We love going on Cunard cruises because of because of the formal dress policy. CMV were good for that too. When we did an MSC Med cruise from Italy on the two formal nights my husband and another man on our table were the only men who wore dinner suits. Otherwise women in glamorous evening dresses were accompanied by men in cut off denim shorts and teeshirts.
On several of the cruises ships I’ve been on, there is a bar on the deck above the pool area - outside, but above by a floor. A few nearby tables. Cigarette smoking is allowed here (or at this bar) but pipe smoking is forbidden. This is odd. I’ve approached cruise hotel staff to ask about the rationale since most people love pipe tobacco smoke and hate cigarette tobacco smoke. So if you want a drink and want to comfortably smoke a pipe, you can’t do this at this open-air bar. No explanations have ever been given. Pipe smokers can smoke outside at the rear of the ship and find someone to bring them drinks, but that puts an extra burden on staff. Weird.
I asked the same question on an airplane (when cigarette smoking was allowed on commercial airlines). The flight attendant told me it was because of the greater amount of smoke from a pipe or cigar.
It's not rocket science. Most pipe tobacco has a coarser cut than ciggyboos. Some burning tobacco shreds that spill from the bowl can still be on fire when they hit the deck and passengers and clothing below. They learned this the hard way.
As a mariner, the one that bugs me is people who skip out on Fire and Emergency Drills. Doesn't matter how competent the Captain, officers, and crew are, At the end of the day, YOU are responsible for YOURSELF during with an emergency situation.
Nick Scalan I once threw an ice cube off my Ocean view balcony on symphony of the seas and I guess there’s cameras on the balcony which isn’t very comforting but I think a crew member was mistaken and thought it was something else so they HAD to come to my cabin, now I’ll think twice about even throwing an ice cube overboard
Years ago we were cruising in Caribbean. We had left dock & were a few miles off, and boat shuddered to stop. A tender boat was lowered & they went back for a couple, she had forgot her new engagement ring & went back. This should have been a cue for the future groom. It took us an additional hour.
First cruise in July on Carnival Valor after they broke the Vista will also be my last. The staff couldn’t keep up with the mess created by the thundering hoards greedily crammed onto that boat. I’ve traveled quite a bit-love it/lots of experience with weather delays, changes in plans-have enjoyed exploring different places, people, cultures, etc. We chose a cruise based on the promise of relaxation. Instead, it was a survival of the fittest nightmare. By the middle of the 3rd night, we were kept awake by sewer gas odors. Luckily had a balcony. Granted-I should have left well enough alone when Vista cancelled rather than rush to a less researched option, but I can’t imagine anything offered by that cruise line being much better.
I don't smoke or drink but I can't see the problem with Vaping as it's only steam a lot of us are on 0 nicotine as well so all it contains if food grade flavourings and colourings, it can't hurt anyone with passive smoking as it's not like cigarettes with the chemicals and tar, plus I am only 60 so I think I have a few years before joining the cruise ship and coach trip brigade.
Ginger Nightmare last 3 times I have been in hospital I have been in a room on my own and used my mod with nothing said in the uk, personally I think you should be allowed to use a mod anywhere as it's not harmful like cigarettes.
I know people that have smoked weed in their rooms or on their balconies. They told me they never got caught or got a cleaning fee. I think they sprayed Lysol or something to make the smell go away.
Muster drill is always annoying because of all the passengers that arrive late. There needs to be a cut off time, if you are not at muster withing 10 minutes, then you are marked absent and have to do a 2nd one later. Out of all the rules I wish the crew would enforce are the seat reservers. It should be easy to spot those that come out at 7am and drop towels and then disappear until 11am..
The ashtrays on Marella Celebration seemed to have a life of their own, they could often be found well away from the reserved areas. They were unusually gregarious and tended to go and join Essex families ...
Kate Kaplan I wish RC would be proactive about their own rules, but I guess they don’t want to cause issues with their branding for enforcing their policies in paying passengers
We have as well after nobody showed up for an hour and then were told we were not very nice people when they returned 2 hours after that. Probably would not have done it other than the fact that because of wind the deck above pool area was closed off making it very hard to find spots.
Glock2201 Funny how grown adults can’t follow simple rules; instead turn into entitled children. Mad at your for moving towels to use chairs, but won’t acknowledge they broke policy by holding chairs for hours on end
Your channel is getting so popular. One day you should consider hosting a group for a cruise. You wouldn't have to guarantee more than "my choice for best cruise of 2019" or "best cruise for seniors/hikers/parties". Also I'm curious if there's enough content to do a video on themed cruises. For example, there's a Star Trek cruise with many actors from the show that attend.
There's been an update for some cruises for being late coming back from excursions could be fined or there are set guidelines and protocols that will allow captains to leave a passenger if they are behind schedule by x number of mins or hours. You'll be in charge of all flights and hotel bookings to catch up to the ship's next port this could make your nice 1k trip turn into an extra 2k + just because you made a mistake (including getting very in-grossed on a shore leave feature) or you're a Karen and the world waits for you attitude. *NOTE* Many of this will vary from cruise lines and captains' protocol/decisions.
I recently went on a cruise and someone that i met actually, he got arrested and kicked off for dealing and smoking pot (weed) but he managed to sneak it on the boat
I always arrive at least 5-10 mins early, so people who always show up late baffle me lol. Everyone’s entitled to be a couple mins late once in awhile but leaving a time buffer has never failed me! Makes for a much more chill, enjoyable, and safer commute for one, but I digress. I would want to get the most out of the time allotted for an excursion on a cruise!
I'm glad I've never been on a cruise like these. Since I'm ex-USN, I'm sure I'd get in trouble for crew fraternization - heck, I wouldn't mind standing UI in the engine room!
I have been on 2. Carnival Cruises and both times have been harassed by the workers onboard the cleaning workers and one time they kept knocking on my door and or knew when I was in The cabin ?! Do they have cameras how do they know this ? It was really sad as they wanted to sleep With me etc and I never reported this behaviour and I should have I was younger back then
Mango Smoothie oh damn that’s is horrible you should go on royal Caribbean the staff did not get pissed off at anyone or act creepy when I went last week
Thanks for that video - Bringing food (meat and fruit) into Australia could devastate our farms and ecosystems. We do not have rabies or down south fruit fly. We need to keep these and many other diseases out. "Declare it to the quarantine people declare it for Australia"
We don't allow produce to be brought into the USA either. My Dad was a agricultural inspector he said that is a serious rule it could ruin our farms here.
My husband and I were on a Viking excursion in Barcelona; at the Sagrada Familia Cathedral. The bus was loading to leave and I asked the guide to please wait while I went to get my husband. She said "no" and I pleaded to please wait just 5 minutes! I went to get him and the bus left without us. We had to take a taxi to the next stop and missed it. At least we got our money back.
Agreed. If the cruises didn't try to rape people so badly on drink prices, people would stop smuggling it on so much. Even the cost of the drink packages have gotten ridiculous. Plus, my wife doesn't drink, but if I get a drink package, she also has to buy one.
@@samuelm5140 Also, at most ports you can buy liquor bottles & just stuff them in your day pack. They dont check anything when you are reboarding. Have a great time.
18 in the UK. So I guess just American ships would have that rule or in American ports? Not that it matters to me as I am way over 21 so can drink anywhere. :)
@@tipsfortravellers How does it work for cruises between the US and neighboring countries like Canada? The US has a drinking age of 21, and Canada has a drinking age of 18. Does the drinking age depend on your citizenship? Or is it de-facto 18, the instant the ship is outside US jurisdiction? Is the crusieline free to determine its own policy, for people in the 18 to 20 age range, once the ship is in international waters?
On other words...be respectful. I was on an excursion once when a group of 4 kept the bus waiting for over 1/2 hour to depart. The driver actually made them stand up and apologize to the rest of the tour. It was pretty interesting. They were totally embarrassed...(and in case you are wondering, they were NOT Americans! Happy to report)
The deck chair thing was super annoying. Royal made a big deal about their policy of making sure people didn't do it but there was zero enforcement despite there being literally zero available chairs in the solarium. Kinda ruined our ability to enjoy a big feature of the ship.
I've just returned from a P&O cruise and and my thoughts on the rules are that they stop children from going into hot tubs but the swimming pools a freezing. I know that rule let my kid go in the hot tub with me because he needed to warm up after swimming. Also on the formal nights I put some effort into but I was not going to spend lots of money on my child's clothing for example black shoes.
Better to hand the stuff in to the gear attendant as lost property. When the owner does come back then play dumb and say the stuff was not there. Mention that a chair "over there" was not so long ago cleaned up by the towel attendant. Works every time.
@@jamesbenedict7206 I had an incident a long time back at a launderette. I had been there for half an hour waiting for a dryer that had finished to be emptied. Then had enough and put all their clothes in a basket and when they came back another half hour later they got really uppity. My goodness there were only two big dryers in the place as it was a small launderette. Some people are so self entitled :)
We do ignore the health form only because my kids have food allergies the symptoms they suffer from almost daily are not contagious. Clearly in this case the point is to try and screen out someone who is contagious since food allergies aren't I don't feel the need to have a conversation with a stranger about my kids medical needs or concerns. If my kids had fevers or cold symptoms outside of their normal I would not skip them.
On msc cruises they dont allow you to put drinks on the side of the pools in case they fall in and damged the pools also it can get the life guard fired
On the Ventura they where hot on enforcement of the forward adult only pool but it wasn’t until people complained about the aft one did they put out a sign reminder and enforcement. But the thing I hated the most was I went to the terrace bar quite a few times and after that complaint there was never anyone in the pool apart from maybe 2 people sitting on the edge. The hot tub rules where only enforced upon complaint. For the most part I ignored them but when people started to misbehave I threatened to get security to kick them out for breaking the rules and they seemed to settle down. They did take the sunlounger rule a bit to the extreme cos where they stopped restocking towels past 17:00 there was a few times I left towels on a non prime lounger just before dinner (18:15 ish) when basically evey other longer was available and they still enforced it. This just made more work for staff on those nights because instead of cleaning the member of staff was then having to phone main laundry to sort out towels. Then go down there and pick them up even if they just left some more up there and just had whoever did final dirty towel collection also pick them up
Smoking: We love to get balcony rooms, but unless we can get them somewhere close to the very front of the boat, they are useless. Smokers think, "Oh, the smoke dissipates and nobody knows I'm doing it", not realizing just how foul their smoke is. One person smoking on a balcony anywhere ahead completely stinks up the air for every balcony behind them. Seriously.. You can smoke in the front of the ship and if my room is in the back, it still reeks. Smoking stinks so bad, that around town, even with my windows up, if the car one or two ahead of me is smoking, I get that stench in my car. Everyone you walk past during your day knows you've been smoking because you stink. Horribly. It is a foul, dirty habit, and after a stop and someone buys a big "Cuban" cigar, it's even worse. You may enjoy it, but to everyone else, it smells like you are smoking a dog turd and looks like you're sticking a phallic symbol in your mouth and really enjoying that.
Yes. It's 2019. Why anyone still smokes is beyond me. It's a horrible habit, that not only makes you unpleasant to be with, it causes cancer and lot's of other illnesses as well.
On our latest cruise I saw one couple get dress coded. That was for wearing bathrobes to breakfast in the buffet. I think they thought it was a Motel 6. Even at the fanciest dinner place they let a guy in who was wearing polo shirt and dockers on a formal night.
As far as dress codes go, the rule should be you cannot do anything on a ship that you cannot do on land. So, bathing suits, nudity, bathrobes are all something you should be "dress coded" for, in common areas. All other dress code rules make no sense and are well ... stupid. Thanks for telling me which cruise lines to avoid!
Dont throw your butts O/B . I was in the Whitsunday Islands recently and was told a story about a giant green sea turtle that was found washed up dead on a local beach , they did an autopsy on this bloody thing and found its stomach full of butts . If you,ve ever tried to flush a fag down the toilet you,ll know what I mean , the damn things float forever . And turtles , being an air breather , surface , see these damn things and mistake them for whatever it is they eat off the sea floor . Smoking doesn't just kill people
@@philshea7525 " If you,ve ever tried to flush a fag down the toilet you,ll know what I mean , the damn things float forever " And here in the U.S. that statement means something completely different. lol. Cheers!
I feel that if people take time and energy to pack their fancy attire for formal nights, either follow the rules in the dining hall on these nights, or go to the buffet!!!!! Really is upsetting when everyone is following the rules, and in comes a family dressed like they just came from the pool. The cruise lines should really adhere to this rule!
I am always in debate about the medical form....I have IBS, and sometimes the stress of the traveling will trigger an episode....so far...answering Yes, explaining my condition to the ship nurse when interviewed, and showing my medications--never had a problem getting on. I just want to answer no to avoid that exercise.
Since you know you aren’t contagious I don’t see how you’re affecting anyone else. It’s the people who don’t have other conditions who are likely sick and lie about it so they can go anyway. I watched a blog where a girl admitted she had a 101 degree fever the morning of embarkation, but she still went on the cruise. If you do answer yes they scan you for a fever and ask you some quick questions.
One of my cruises on Carnival spirit, there were kids diving in the pool, i told the life guard but he leaned over me and im certain he mouthed "keep going" geez, im only worried for their saftey
I know this isn't a current rule, but previously for musters/safety briefings, you were supposed to locate and put on the life vest in your cabin. I was surprised at the last cruise that we didn't have to do that anymore. They are saying now that it's safer and causes less confusion for passengers to leave them in the cabin while they navigate the ship.
That's a shame about the interacting with the crew. It also explains why officers have been far more inclined to play table tennis with me than other crew! I heard maybe that Azamara, after their little accident, has been re-branding in a way that encourages more interaction between passenger and crew. Has anyone else heard this?
@@chriswilliams6568 Yeah, in the last couple years, I've never been on a boat that you didn't at least have to tell them your name and cabin number, but most just scan your ship card now. Most, now, muster inside in the A/C. It did suck to have to stand shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of people in the heat on deck while they try to explain to obviously really stupid people how to put on a lifejacket that has one strap. But... I also have to wonder about the people who fly who have to be told how to use the seat belt. I mean, obviously there were enough of them sitting there confused to where they made it mandatory to explain to everyone now? lol.
Most cruise lines don't enforce the dress codes.. which is great. I'm on vacation. I want a choice as to what I wear, not be told what to wear. My dress is appropriate and that is enough.
My wife likes to go on cruises with her children and her friends. I found your videos and we watch them together. I ask her often while we watch, “Do you agree with him?” She often does. I don’t cruise because I am basically a functional hermit. I have a good job but other than that I would rather just stay home. I mention that because it’s a testament to how good of a host you are and how well produced and written your videos are that I find them entertaining and informative even though I don’t cruise. We watch your videos often during the week. Keep up the good work!
Who else couldn't
Stop looking
At that ship picture
I believe its a 1936 travel poster for the RMS Queen Mary.
Me. I may also see it in my nightmares this evening:0
A poem
what ship picture?
Ha lori minior me to
Perhaps my favorite part of port days is watching from the decks as people run up the dock because the ship is minutes from departing. I'm a bit of a stickler for time, so tardiness irritates me. Great vid Gary!
Love seeing the a'holes who arrive late, running up the dock with their hands full of crap, expecting a ship that's already underway to suddenly stop and back up for them! Ain't gonna happen. Once they've had to pay for a flight to the next port I'm guessing they're be a bit more on time. Too bad, so sad (not!).
Not all people coming late are just late jerks. Sometimes things really happen that make them late. My cruise was running late because the ship before us could not dock due to weather so we had to wait like 6 hours to board. We were 2 hours from home so we just got a hotel room to wait and take a nap. I woke up and had started my period and I'm normally heavy but this was OMG and early! I had to get my luggage out of the car, bring it up, shower, then rinse out my clothes and bed sheets, then find a trash bag to put my wet clothes in LOL. Horrible! I know to much info but true story! We didn't miss the ship but yes we were running with a bunch of crap in our hands lol.
@@MiaMia-rx9dw things happen, you’re right! I was just talking about people who knowingly spend too long in port/aren’t mindful of times. Lol we’ve been caught up trying to board before as well, it’s not fun
@@Abi-il7cm no its not fun lol
Lawrence Beesley, who was a second class passenger on the Titanic, tells the story of a group of stokers running up to the ship and shouting to be let on at Southhampton after its gangways had closed. They probably had spent too long in a pub, and because they missed the sail time their jobs had been given away. No doubt their frustration turned to relief a few days later.
My biggest annoyance on cruises is waiting for people who have not respected the meet up time. I find it totally disrespectful to the people that are there on time. Thanks Gary for your great video. I always enjoy them.
Chantal Patenaude that’s why I decided to book excursions myself so I don’t deal with that.
There's a reason for the term "Island Time". People are on vacation. Chill out and relax. Have you ever not gotten to go on a tour because someone showed up late? Nope. I hope you learn to relax and quit being irritated so easily. When people are late, look around you. People watch. Realise just where you are and how many people would love to trade places with you. That being said, some people have silly pet peeves. If my wife puts the toilet paper roll on backwards, it's instant RED!. lol.
trbig67 My boyfriend puts the roll with the loose end to the back. I always switch it the other way immediately. He’s never said anything. I believe FB polls say most like the loose end coming off the front side!!😜
I agree with the original poster about the late people. Not having it. Even on vacation I’m still Type A!
@@trbig67 If they want to be late and go at their own time they shouldn't book a tour! It's really annoying.
@@davidb9806 Don't worry. I know a lot of people with the patience of a gnat that can't seem to help it no matter how ridiculous something is. Just to be clear, I'm not the one who arrives late, but watching people like you begin to fume after as little as 5 or 10 extra minutes... well that's just more enjoyment for people like me. It's too bad people can't see how petty things like this really are. lol.
I was on a Carnival cruise during which the "muster drill" was that each passenger had to don his/her life jacket in the cabin and then report to his/her assigned lifeboat station, which makes sense to me. I don't understand why anyone would want to duck it; it could save your life.
Typically skipped by people who have done a good number of cruises and think they don't need the refresher.
People don't want to think about unpleasant things like disaster or death while on vacation. They want to turn their brains off and be totally self indulgent.
when travelling never be complacent with your safety. I was witness to a near fatal snowmobile accident in CO years back but due to be cautious nature I was not involved. The muster drill should be important and understood by every member in your party or family .It's not joke when the warning siren goes off especially in the dark hours
People generally don't think anything bad will happen, until it does...
I was on a Disney cruise ship and we left a family of 4 behind on a island. Don’t be late.
Did they then book the Pirates of the Caribbean Sea Turtle Ride to get out of there?
This happened to a whole bunch of people on a Hawaiian cruise I went on. Close to a hundred people were left behind because their luau dinner excursion took way too long. However, it was the cruise line's fault and they flew them out to the next port to reunite with the ship lol.
We were on an excursion in Tunisia and the coach driver/guide left one couple who were late to leave...we were in the middle of the desert! Everybody arrived early to leave at the other places we visited that day!!!👍😉🙈
In New Zealand you cop a $400 ($US260) instant citation if you try and take fruit and some other food ashore. Pests/ diseases can be devastating to the nation's economy.
I think it was a cruise passenger who gave NZ the possum......LOL
Blame Captain Cook. And his mates........LOL
They tried stopping my daughter from taking pre packaged fruit grain bars on shore , she is diabetic, i had words with two gents and there dogs. Which twice bit down on her bag. And totally ripped it apart. Told them to " xxxx off" and went back to boat. Ended up disembarking and flying to Italy, rented a car and went to Ferrari main plant, which is basically a city. Then drive up to Genoa , then Monoco. It was way better then ship. Cost alot . But really worth it. Unfortunately ill never be able to afford that again. So whatever .ill shut up now.
In Fiji. Every stop we had the same couple late back to the bus. Our final stop was reduced to just 15 minutes because of this and... late again. The guide announced we'd wait a maximum of 15 minutes and then we'd leave. He also called in the delay (i would guess) to the ship. Probably to formal permission too for the "leave behind". The chat amongst everyone was expressing frustration for sure. But we were also excited about leaving them behind. As we counted down the minutes... they sadly reappeared. They took their reserved seats at the back of the bus. You should have heard the loud comments from the front of the bus about "entitled", "ignoramuses" etc.
if they are late they loose their reserved seat, Simply, if the ship leaves without them also solves the problem
As an Ex Coach driver, I would often leave late returning Pax behind, they would get a severe warning before alighting that the coach would not be delayed for anyone. A ship has a set departure time based on the Tide, if they miss it they would be delayed by at least 11 hours in some ports due to the depth of the channel or the allocation of a Pilot for the port. Time and Tide does not wait for any man.
Irrefutable forces of Mother Nature.
I’m a helmsman on the Mississippi River. Couple of times we’ve been late and gotten bitched out by the harbor master of traffic channel because we hold up an entire bridge. The tide waits for nothing.
A wise man said: If you can’t be on time, be EARLY!
Many years back I walked through the Lido deck restaurant on Carnival sans shirt (I have body hair to rival bigfoot, not to mention a serious beer belly). No signs up about shirts and shoes. A year later I saw signs. So could I personally be responsible for those rules?
Drone View now all the carnival cruises have a hairy chest contest on lido deck. You maybe also responsible for this?
@@derekhall1934 actually I entered the hairy chest contest on my first cruise back in 1993 on the Ecstacy. I did not win since it is really judged on entertaining the crowd. If it was judged by objectively measuring chest hair density and volume, I could have won on almost all of the 14 cruises I have been on. One notable exception was the Conquest back in 2002. The 10 guys who entered were so hairy the cruise director even announced that in all the years he has been doing this, he has never seen so many hairy men on the same ship...
😂
@Handsome B. Wonderful so is the 'disapproving head shake' because I lack the self-awareness to realize on my own that walking shirtless past people trying to enjoy their Lido dining experience is not a good idea, or because I ruined it for others wanting to walk around shirtless?
@@droneview8351 I wonder if they do them on the Carnival ships in Australia....
I’ve taken about twenty cruises on four different cruise lines. All your comments are spot on. I’ve seen all of these rules broken to some degree. Sadly there are always folks who feel rules don’t apply to them
I can’t stand when passengers allow their under age children in the adult pools.
Sean Bradley ugh I aggre
Sean Bradley what about their over age children?
Same.
True this! I've been on cruises when the stupid, inconsiderate parents, allow infants to float about in the pool clad only in a nappy. EVERYBODY OUT! It's nasty....unfortunately you rarely see any of the ship crew do anything to stop it.
Strictly enforced on MSC line! 👏
My last rock 'n' roll cruise was aboard a Royal Caribbean ship. Hardly anybody was ever in one of the pools (because we had wall-to-wall concert performances to go to) but there was nevertheless a lifeguard on duty at every pool and water slide.
In Cozumel Mexico there were dogs sniffing for fruit being taken off the ship.
In every stop there are dogs. Duh... major drug routes.
Shiatbiatch yeah, so many people take Drugs OFF the boat into Mexico. Lol They didn't check getting back ON. Duh.....
Yea "fruit"
Cozumel, and any small island, are tiny ecosystems, Introduction of foreign plants/animals can and is often disastrous. They are smart to do this.
trbig67 exactly. Thank you for an intelligent reply. These others have been seriously lacking.
With the pool rule, Disney is very strict about the adult only pools. I was 18 and I was asked to show ID about 6 times while I was in the pool because i didn't look "old enough". I was very irritated after the 3rd time because I don't look that young and the same people kept asking me.
Why is everybody so afraid of enforcing the rules? It ruins it for those of us who do.
People get so indignate when reminded of the rules. I feels sorry for the crew members.
It sometimes isn't being afraid of enforcing rules as it is choosing their battles.
Some rules are for safety. some are for convenience. They usually put a preference on making sure safety rules are followed while hoping the passengers will police themselves in other areas.
Most of the crew is not there with for function other rule enforcing. Time they spend reminding passengers about rules is time that they are not spending performing their primary task. Thus it is in their best interest to ignore things, and just look straight ahead at all times.
When at sea, crew members put in 10-14 hour days. This is stressful enough without having to listen to some Karen threaten to call the Captain on them.
@@conniethesconnie maybe they should rethink some of those rules if they can’t uphold them.
@@deendrew36 Is this any different from the highway patrol. They Don't go pulling over everyone who isn't buckled up, using turn signals or hanging out in the left hand lane when they are not passing cars. They pick and choose the worst offenders.
@@conniethesconnie Yes, last I heard, the score was Windmills 1, Don Quixote 0.
I only have an issue with reserving sunbeds if someone's gone on an excursion and then expects their bed to be there when they return
I think a small cup of urine discreetly dropped on a "reserved" sunbed would be a quick cure and great fun to watch as well.
@@53pittmanjt that would probably do the trick 😂
I may plagiarize that on my next cruise....."I'm sooooooooo sorry, we just figured you left the ship for an excursion". Brilliant!!
I move their staff or get deck crew to when it has been 1/2 hour
With the alcohol, I used to like to just bring a bottle of Vodka on in my carry on (Royal Caribbean used to allow 2 bottles of wine on board in Australia) so if they catch it then I just pretend to have got confused. If it passes through, you have vodka, if not you get your bottle back later anyway
Oliver Cooling just get a screw top dark color wine bottle and you’re good to go with what you put in it
@@johniii8147 Find someone that makes wine as a hobby, like I do. A dark green wine bottle is best. Try to keep the labels immaculate. I fill it with drink of choice, shove a new cork in it, then use a shrink wrap top that any brewing shop sells, and it looks like a perfectly innocent bottle of wine. I have don this many, many times for people going on cruises. Me? I avoid the corkage fees by just carrying it on. You can find heavy plastic hidden flasks that you wear like a fanny pack. I always board with a baggy pair of cargo shorts. These flasks will hold a full liter of alcohol. (When new, get some cheap vodka and let it soak in the bag for several days to remove the plastic taste) When I leave the boat at a stop, I carry my empty flask in my pocket or bag, find a local liquor store and buy a bottle. Every cruise port I have been to has a public restroom somewhere before you get on the ship. Go in a stall, fill up the bag and strap it on, throw the bottle in the trash and walk onboard. Just be sure to get all the air bubbles out so you don't slosh when you walk. lol.
Disney allows 2 bottles of wine or 2 of champagne or 6 can of bear... And you can refill at every port. Love it!
@@trbig67 During my last visit to Curaçao, I bought 8 bottles of the liquer they specialize in. That was in one huge box. I also found a local liquor store & bought a 1.75 liter bottle of vodka that I put in my backpack. When my gear was x-rayed when I got back on the ship, I checked the Curaçao at the desk & got on the elevator with my backpack, no one the wiser. Sneaking liquor onto a cruise ship has gotten harder (I remember the days when I'd walk into the port on the first day with a liter of 'Evian' (vodka) in my hand and no one would bat an eye) but it's not impossible. And yeah, I've got a set of those silicone bags that I haul around all the time, they certainly are a money saver. (I'm not paying 11 bucks for a drink, no matter where I am.)
@@YouKnowWhereYouWentWrong Yeah, I thought Curaçao was just blue. I was surprised at how many diffferent colors they had when we went.
I appreciate and enjoy your presentations. I was on the QM2 in April and I was fortunate to stay in one of the new solo staterooms. I loved it and I was very comfortable in it. What a wonderful few moments to wake up with the Statue of Liberty right in my window!
I am such a rule follower, appreciate this video!
Nerd
Actually, retired teacher!
@Yuck Foutube, teacher 41 years
I am with you Mrs. Price. I hate people who doesnt follow the rules. It's my worst pet peeve on a cruise
9:09 - Want to go from one cabin to a neighboring one? Just use the corridor!
Some people like to have connecting doors so they can access the other room more quickly
After having taken five cruises now, going on a sixth this summer, I absolutely love cruising. Now, these rules are correct and people do break them, but I haven’t ever had any of these ruin a vacation for me, nor have I noticed to be honest.
Whenever I've visited a cruise port, I have NOT booked an excursion; I just went around on my own and saw what I wanted to see. However, whatever the stated return time, I would always be on the dock at least a half hour before then, just to MAKE SURE that I wasn't stranded in some third world country!
I do the same, mostly because I don't want to be stuck in the long line of last-minute arrivers!
I will keep my “Listerine” thank you very much
Oh...
Embarrassed that it took me more than a minute to figure out what you meant 😅😅😅
Cheers
Sujoy Gupta cheers 🥂 we can drink our blue vodka straight from the cap 😂
The Carnival cruise to Cozumel does allow two bottles of wine (at a certain size) and miniatures.
It's going to be interesting to see which way the formal nights go in the future. I recently went to Alaska so putting on a tie and and blazer wasn't too bad, but if I was in the Caribbean I'm not sure I would have been too excited to wear pants just to eat. I don't know if the younger generation is into the whole nightly dining like it used to be in the past.
I hate having to pack a full formal wear just for one or two nights! I'd just as soon go elsewhere to eat on those nights. Plenty of choices across the ship.
My husband has 2 suits for summer that are seersucker. he LOVES them and they’re super comfy and light in the Caribbean. Perfect for our more ‘formal’ nights
..., please, sir, for our sakes, wear pants when you eat...!!
My most annoying cruise was royal Caribbean Mediterranean cruise .full of big Americans hogging the buffet filling their plates sometimes two with enormous portions as if they were starved or hadn't heard they could return to the buffet several times it put me off my own food so i waited till near end of service to have my sandwich .
People being late for meet ups is frustrating. We went on an all day excursion to Rome and the same two ladies were late at every opportunity. It reached the point mid afternoon where we were about to go round the Vatican and our guide asked us to stay together whilst she sorted out the tickets and when we could enter. Sure enough she got back and handed us our tickets and she was left holding two. Ten minutes later the two ladies strolled back up having gone off into the Vatican shop. It is the only occasion I have seen a tour guide really angry, she tore a strip off the two ladies for being selfish and inconsiderate. As my dad used to say, you cant educate pork, as we were getting on the bus to drive back to the ship guess who was late? Answers on a postcard.
The only solution is to leave them behind.
It's the only thing that works to make them stop doing it.
I got tired of sneaking alcohol on board so now I just make sure I book a cruise that includes the beverage package where I only have to pay the gratuities.
The cruise ship will leave without you, if youre late getting back from the shore leave...Dont be late!
Sometimes it has to leave without you, because it depends on low tide to get beneath a bridge.
Enjoyed the video a lot, but will probably never take a cruise. We started to look at one seriously about 2 years ago, but my wife got sick.
On one cruise, my friend saw a crew member grab a woman sitting on the rail and forcibly pull her onto the deck. She shrieked and cursed. The crewman explained what would happen if she fell in the drink and let her know he didn't give an aerobatic assignation about her dignity or her "rights" and that he'd see she was confined to quarters and removed from the ship if she did it again.
Really you don’t have to worry about noravirus on Royal Caribbean they make you wash your hands and use sanitizer literally every time you go to eat something, like at the windjammer where I go for breakfast they make you wash your hands literally every time, someone tried to skip it and they wouldn’t let him eat until he did. They’re actually really strict on keeping things clean.
liz de’royal I guess I was unlucky and ended up with a strict sailing
Honda_civicguy56 If you have norovirus or are recently recovering from any kind of infectious diarrhea, you can infect people by swimming in the pool.
@@hysteria67 Not unlucky. The opposite as they all need to be strict. I mean stupid passengers who are too lazy to do something that takes seconds risking the health of others as well as themselves should not be tolerated. I have heard P & O are not being strict enough so I hope they crack down. Dirty irresponsible passengers need to be treated like naughty children :) It is sad that it is even necessary to enforce as it should be a natural thing to do.
As someone who got hit with norovirus the last two days of a Mediterranean cruise, I can tell you: WASH YOUR HANDS! I have no idea how I picked it up as I'm one who is oh so careful about what I touch. It is like the stomach flu x 100! My ribs hurt for a WEEK due to the uncontrollable heaving I experienced for a whole night! Spent the two days in my cabin as I could barely crawl to the toilet. No way I had the strength to go outside nor should I have.
Good. I’m taking a Royal Caribbean cruise in August and I am pleased to hear they are vigilant about cleanliness.
Our last cruise muster drill was in the theater. We were told in the event of an emergency, once those on deck were mustered, we would then proceed from there. IOW, "Yes, Jack Dawson, if there is time, we will come for you and Kate."
My last one was in the casino! Worked for me!
"emergency drills" are not "drills" actually is more like a "teaching class of how put the life jacket and where to meet in case of emergency because you will be too drunk to do anything more than the basic" as soon you get on the ship and they announce these "drills" just go there and listen, it will take just 20min and you will be free after that. I did and I got free in no time. my sister delayed 1 day untill the crew called her by name and forced her to go there...
I've also heard these called "muster briefings".
Do the safety drill and get it over with. Even though you don't want to think about something as depressing as a ship maintenance crisis in the midst of the ocean, just do it so that you can protect yourself if things go totally wrong.
Some of the images of tonnes of people cramped onto sunbeds must put people off going on cruises!
Brown fat looks better than white fat!
Yes it does ! Cruises seem a nightmare to me …
Just got off of a cruise and one big one I noticed...disembarking before you're supposed to. People will get off well before their zone is called and they're never stopped.
@@fairamir1 on Carnival anyway, after those who are taking off all of their luggage themselves disembark, those who had most or all of their luggage taken off by the crew are released to disembark and get their luggage. Their luggage is grouped in zones for easy retrieval. Diamond level is released first, then platinum, then Faster to the Fun cruisers (zone 3). After that it's basically by floor level. The zone is the area your luggage is placed after getting off the boat and you know your zone because you tag all your luggage with the tags they give you a day or two before disembarkation.
NCL (Norwegian cruise line) has the same zone idea for embarking/disembarking & for port days. Similar to airline boarding.
YOu forgot to mention the main reason for no smoking on balconies is discarded cigarettes can blow back into th ship and cause fires.
Theo Hugs Would you want to be on a ship where that happens?
Theo Hugs It’s called a preventative measure. There have definitely been fires on balconies from cigarettes left burning.
When you smoke on your balcony other rooms can smell it.
Princess’ Star Princess cruise ship in 2006. Some reports say it was a flicked cigarette and others say it was from a smoker in the room.
Realize that when there is a fire in the middle of an ocean you can’t call 911.
@@Cutesy_Time_is_Over - Do you not know the difference between "moot" and "mute"?
as long as the smoker urinates after the butt is discarded it should nullify the fire hazard.
The information is invaluable, and production values on your videos are professional level. Well done.
For food off the boat I understand but what about taking food on the boat from the port
It is very touching from cruiseliners rule no2. They actually care about their guest's health by preventing them from drinking in excess. I didn't know they care so much for the people. Kudos to them for that!
I have a question. Do cruise lines provide guided tours of the ships themselves - especially of the bridge and the engineering spaces?
Usually not the bridge but I've known some to have tours of engineering and kitchens.
Royal Caribbean does tours of quite a bit of the ship, including the bridge and engineering room.
@@tomcorwine3091
RE: "Royal Caribbean does tours of quite a bit of the ship, including the bridge and engineering room."
Thanks. That's good to know.
We love going on Cunard cruises because of because of the formal dress policy. CMV were good for that too. When we did an MSC Med cruise from Italy on the two formal nights my husband and another man on our table were the only men who wore dinner suits. Otherwise women in glamorous evening dresses were accompanied by men in cut off denim shorts and teeshirts.
Cunard...👎
On several of the cruises ships I’ve been on, there is a bar on the deck above the pool area - outside, but above by a floor. A few nearby tables. Cigarette smoking is allowed here (or at this bar) but pipe smoking is forbidden. This is odd. I’ve approached cruise hotel staff to ask about the rationale since most people love pipe tobacco smoke and hate cigarette tobacco smoke. So if you want a drink and want to comfortably smoke a pipe, you can’t do this at this open-air bar. No explanations have ever been given. Pipe smokers can smoke outside at the rear of the ship and find someone to bring them drinks, but that puts an extra burden on staff. Weird.
I hate smoking period, but I'd rather smell a pipe than cigarettes or (gross) cigars anytime!
I asked the same question on an airplane (when cigarette smoking was allowed on commercial airlines). The flight attendant told me it was because of the greater amount of smoke from a pipe or cigar.
It's not rocket science. Most pipe tobacco has a coarser cut than ciggyboos. Some burning tobacco shreds that spill from the bowl can still be on fire when they hit the deck and passengers and clothing below. They learned this the hard way.
As a mariner, the one that bugs me is people who skip out on Fire and Emergency Drills. Doesn't matter how competent the Captain, officers, and crew are, At the end of the day, YOU are responsible for YOURSELF during with an emergency situation.
A big one you forgot was throwing items overboard, trash, beer bottles/cans, etc.
But Jean Roch will throw your stuff overboard!
Nick Scalan I once threw an ice cube off my
Ocean view balcony on symphony of the seas and I guess there’s cameras on the balcony which isn’t very comforting but I think a crew member was mistaken and thought it was something else so they HAD to come to my cabin, now I’ll think twice about even throwing an ice cube overboard
@@davidszakacs6888 huh??
Anyone who does this should be thrown overboard!!! Absolutely no excuse!
Years ago we were cruising in Caribbean. We had left dock & were a few miles off, and boat shuddered to stop. A tender boat was lowered & they went back for a couple, she had forgot her new engagement ring & went back. This should have been a cue for the future groom. It took us an additional hour.
I have seen video of people jumping off the balconies into the water. That is just crazy that someone would want to even do that.
They were probably drunk. Which is why we should ban alcohol or not put a bar in every corner you turn
Just being drunk doesn’t make you jump off a hundred foot balcony, there’s other factors like trying to be cool
Or the same reason people sky dive. The thrill. You think water is not cement, it won't hurt me.
First cruise in July on Carnival Valor after they broke the Vista will also be my last. The staff couldn’t keep up with the mess created by the thundering hoards greedily crammed onto that boat. I’ve traveled quite a bit-love it/lots of experience with weather delays, changes in plans-have enjoyed exploring different places, people, cultures, etc. We chose a cruise based on the promise of relaxation. Instead, it was a survival of the fittest nightmare. By the middle of the 3rd night, we were kept awake by sewer gas odors. Luckily had a balcony. Granted-I should have left well enough alone when Vista cancelled rather than rush to a less researched option, but I can’t imagine anything offered by that cruise line being much better.
I don't smoke or drink but I can't see the problem with Vaping as it's only steam a lot of us are on 0 nicotine as well so all it contains if food grade flavourings and colourings, it can't hurt anyone with passive smoking as it's not like cigarettes with the chemicals and tar, plus I am only 60 so I think I have a few years before joining the cruise ship and coach trip brigade.
We've been "testing" smokeless vapes in hospitals and hotels... not detected yet. Will test them on cruises next year.
Ginger Nightmare last 3 times I have been in hospital I have been in a room on my own and used my mod with nothing said in the uk, personally I think you should be allowed to use a mod anywhere as it's not harmful like cigarettes.
I know people that have smoked weed in their rooms or on their balconies. They told me they never got caught or got a cleaning fee. I think they sprayed Lysol or something to make the smell go away.
Ppl lie period to avoid consequences
I love your videos. I have been on thirty plus cruises and still learn from you
Good job Gary. If people just use a little consideration for other people, that would go a long way.
Muster drill is always annoying because of all the passengers that arrive late. There needs to be a cut off time, if you are not at muster withing 10 minutes, then you are marked absent and have to do a 2nd one later.
Out of all the rules I wish the crew would enforce are the seat reservers. It should be easy to spot those that come out at 7am and drop towels and then disappear until 11am..
The ashtrays on Marella Celebration seemed to have a life of their own, they could often be found well away from the reserved areas. They were unusually gregarious and tended to go and join Essex families ...
Neil Barnett 😂
ON TUI the dress code in the main dining restaurant, it was mainly foot wear
I’ve moved towels from chairs of people away from chairs and sun beds on the deck for long periods of time. Tough cookies
Celebrity infinity cruise on recently..deck staff removed towels and stuff if chairs were unoccupied. Admired this.
Kate Kaplan I wish RC would be proactive about their own rules, but I guess they don’t want to cause issues with their branding for enforcing their policies in paying passengers
We have as well after nobody showed up for an hour and then were told we were not very nice people when they returned 2 hours after that. Probably would not have done it other than the fact that because of wind the deck above pool area was closed off making it very hard to find spots.
Glock2201 Funny how grown adults can’t follow simple rules; instead turn into entitled children. Mad at your for moving towels to use chairs, but won’t acknowledge they broke policy by holding chairs for hours on end
@@nathanc5789 Then he lied and said he did it 15 minutes ago. Sad part is they had 8 chairs saved and he was the only one that came up.
Thanks for the video. Are there any rules about noise control like; TV volume, loud voices, running, door slamming etc from cabins and in public area?
Your channel is getting so popular. One day you should consider hosting a group for a cruise. You wouldn't have to guarantee more than "my choice for best cruise of 2019" or "best cruise for seniors/hikers/parties".
Also I'm curious if there's enough content to do a video on themed cruises. For example, there's a Star Trek cruise with many actors from the show that attend.
Those look really cool
There's been an update for some cruises for being late coming back from excursions could be fined or there are set guidelines and protocols that will allow captains to leave a passenger if they are behind schedule by x number of mins or hours. You'll be in charge of all flights and hotel bookings to catch up to the ship's next port this could make your nice 1k trip turn into an extra 2k + just because you made a mistake (including getting very in-grossed on a shore leave feature) or you're a Karen and the world waits for you attitude.
*NOTE* Many of this will vary from cruise lines and captains' protocol/decisions.
Those are very important rules to follow and should not be broken! Thanks for sharing
I know a woman who had a knock down drag out with her teen daughter and they were booted off the ship.
I recently went on a cruise and someone that i met actually, he got arrested and kicked off for dealing and smoking pot (weed) but he managed to sneak it on the boat
Gotta be honest could listen to you all day you certainly know your stuff
Thanks :-) Great to hear. Glass you enjoy
Yes. My husband just yelled at me cause I keep watching "another one" hehehe :D
😀😀😀😀👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I always arrive at least 5-10 mins early, so people who always show up late baffle me lol. Everyone’s entitled to be a couple mins late once in awhile but leaving a time buffer has never failed me! Makes for a much more chill, enjoyable, and safer commute for one, but I digress. I would want to get the most out of the time allotted for an excursion on a cruise!
I'm glad I've never been on a cruise like these. Since I'm ex-USN, I'm sure I'd get in trouble for crew fraternization - heck, I wouldn't mind standing UI in the engine room!
The only rule that I hate when the passengers on the cruise ship breaks is failing to flush the toilet after use.
If Bug Naked was involved with the muster drill (or another cute cat), there would be much better compliance!
agree :-)
First rule of life (not just cruising) and most frequently broken: Don't be stupid.
I have been on 2. Carnival
Cruises and both times have been harassed by the workers onboard the cleaning workers and one time they kept knocking on my door and or knew when I was in
The cabin ?! Do they have cameras how do they know this ? It was really sad as they wanted to sleep
With me etc and I never reported this behaviour and I should have I was younger back then
Mango Smoothie oh damn that’s is horrible you should go on royal Caribbean the staff did not get pissed off at anyone or act creepy when I went last week
Derick Vo I want to try that line but they are more expensive
Thanks for that video - Bringing food (meat and fruit) into Australia could devastate our farms and ecosystems. We do not have rabies or down south fruit fly. We need to keep these and many other diseases out. "Declare it to the quarantine people declare it for Australia"
We don't allow produce to be brought into the USA either. My Dad was a agricultural inspector he said that is a serious rule it could ruin our farms here.
My husband and I were on a Viking excursion in Barcelona; at the Sagrada Familia Cathedral. The bus was loading to leave and I asked the guide to please wait while I went to get my husband. She said "no" and I pleaded to please wait just 5 minutes! I went to get him and the bus left without us. We had to take a taxi to the next stop and missed it. At least we got our money back.
Never had any issue with BYOB. The room stewards dont seem to care either since we dont try to hide it.
Agreed. If the cruises didn't try to rape people so badly on drink prices, people would stop smuggling it on so much. Even the cost of the drink packages have gotten ridiculous. Plus, my wife doesn't drink, but if I get a drink package, she also has to buy one.
What's your method? Rum runners?
@@samuelm5140 Absolutely. I can easily smuggle way more than we can drink in a week.
@@bgregg55 I got a cruise coming up. Thanks for the tip 👍🏽
@@samuelm5140 Also, at most ports you can buy liquor bottles & just stuff them in your day pack. They dont check anything when you are reboarding. Have a great time.
Thanks for the tips! I’m thinking about doing the Disney cruise with my husband and kids soon!
You may have to mortgage your house to afford Disney.
What about people under 21 getting alcohol on board?
Good point. This varies based on where ships are as, for example, in Europe people over 18 can drink on ships usually.
Legal age for alcohol in Australia is 18 - but do not mess with the underage drinking laws in any Australian state.
18 in the UK. So I guess just American ships would have that rule or in American ports? Not that it matters to me as I am way over 21 so can drink anywhere. :)
@@tipsfortravellers How does it work for cruises between the US and neighboring countries like Canada? The US has a drinking age of 21, and Canada has a drinking age of 18. Does the drinking age depend on your citizenship? Or is it de-facto 18, the instant the ship is outside US jurisdiction? Is the crusieline free to determine its own policy, for people in the 18 to 20 age range, once the ship is in international waters?
@@carultch If I recall, on Royal Caribbean any cruise which leaves a U.S. port is 21, all others are 18.
Muster Drill - I definitely want to know where to find a life jacket and life boat. Costa Concordia….
On other words...be respectful. I was on an excursion once when a group of 4 kept the bus waiting for over 1/2 hour to depart. The driver actually made them stand up and apologize to the rest of the tour. It was pretty interesting. They were totally embarrassed...(and in case you are wondering, they were NOT Americans! Happy to report)
The deck chair thing was super annoying. Royal made a big deal about their policy of making sure people didn't do it but there was zero enforcement despite there being literally zero available chairs in the solarium. Kinda ruined our ability to enjoy a big feature of the ship.
I've just returned from a P&O cruise and and my thoughts on the rules are that they stop children from going into hot tubs but the swimming pools a freezing. I know that rule let my kid go in the hot tub with me because he needed to warm up after swimming. Also on the formal nights I put some effort into but I was not going to spend lots of money on my child's clothing for example black shoes.
My mum passed away on a cruise when we got home bc someone brought a virus on (she was quad)
I wait 30 mins, if you don't come back, your stuff goes on the ground and I use your chairs... beat it.
I do the same at the laundry!
Better to hand the stuff in to the gear attendant as lost property. When the owner does come back then play dumb and say the stuff was not there. Mention that a chair "over there" was not so long ago cleaned up by the towel attendant. Works every time.
@@jamesbenedict7206 I had an incident a long time back at a launderette. I had been there for half an hour waiting for a dryer that had finished to be emptied. Then had enough and put all their clothes in a basket and when they came back another half hour later they got really uppity. My goodness there were only two big dryers in the place as it was a small launderette. Some people are so self entitled :)
Touch my shit, get hit! Narcissistic ahole!
trailerpark cryptoking after first reading your comment, your user name was of little surprise to me...
We do ignore the health form only because my kids have food allergies the symptoms they suffer from almost daily are not contagious. Clearly in this case the point is to try and screen out someone who is contagious since food allergies aren't I don't feel the need to have a conversation with a stranger about my kids medical needs or concerns. If my kids had fevers or cold symptoms outside of their normal I would not skip them.
If people can't follow basic rules for 7-10 days on a ship how will Socialism go for the country?
On msc cruises they dont allow you to put drinks on the side of the pools in case they fall in and damged the pools also it can get the life guard fired
Great video!! Am thinking about trying my first cruise soon!! this really helps
Dont go , terrible idea, and alot of money.
Robert Hutchinson I’ve only been on 1 cruise but I have no desire to go again.
@@SKC193 You chose the wrong ship
First cruise? What took you so long?
@@litzie50 It Just never had the appeal!! But for some reason now i feel i should try it!!
On the Ventura they where hot on enforcement of the forward adult only pool but it wasn’t until people complained about the aft one did they put out a sign reminder and enforcement. But the thing I hated the most was I went to the terrace bar quite a few times and after that complaint there was never anyone in the pool apart from maybe 2 people sitting on the edge.
The hot tub rules where only enforced upon complaint. For the most part I ignored them but when people started to misbehave I threatened to get security to kick them out for breaking the rules and they seemed to settle down.
They did take the sunlounger rule a bit to the extreme cos where they stopped restocking towels past 17:00 there was a few times I left towels on a non prime lounger just before dinner (18:15 ish) when basically evey other longer was available and they still enforced it. This just made more work for staff on those nights because instead of cleaning the member of staff was then having to phone main laundry to sort out towels. Then go down there and pick them up even if they just left some more up there and just had whoever did final dirty towel collection also pick them up
Smoking: We love to get balcony rooms, but unless we can get them somewhere close to the very front of the boat, they are useless. Smokers think, "Oh, the smoke dissipates and nobody knows I'm doing it", not realizing just how foul their smoke is. One person smoking on a balcony anywhere ahead completely stinks up the air for every balcony behind them. Seriously.. You can smoke in the front of the ship and if my room is in the back, it still reeks. Smoking stinks so bad, that around town, even with my windows up, if the car one or two ahead of me is smoking, I get that stench in my car. Everyone you walk past during your day knows you've been smoking because you stink. Horribly. It is a foul, dirty habit, and after a stop and someone buys a big "Cuban" cigar, it's even worse. You may enjoy it, but to everyone else, it smells like you are smoking a dog turd and looks like you're sticking a phallic symbol in your mouth and really enjoying that.
It should be completely banned except for one small area, on the back of the ship. It's 2019....it's not that hard.
I like your use of 'phallic'
Yes. It's 2019. Why anyone still smokes is beyond me.
It's a horrible habit, that not only makes you unpleasant to be with, it causes cancer and lot's of other illnesses as well.
On our latest cruise I saw one couple get dress coded. That was for wearing bathrobes to breakfast in the buffet. I think they thought it was a Motel 6. Even at the fanciest dinner place they let a guy in who was wearing polo shirt and dockers on a formal night.
As far as dress codes go, the rule should be you cannot do anything on a ship that you cannot do on land. So, bathing suits, nudity, bathrobes are all something you should be "dress coded" for, in common areas. All other dress code rules make no sense and are well ... stupid. Thanks for telling me which cruise lines to avoid!
If someone is caught smoking on their balcony what could the cruise line do to you ?
@Dawn Clark Thank you for your reply but most likely doesn't really answer my question at this time.
@Dawn Clark I was looking for a direct answer not an assumption, hun !
@Dawn Clark OUCH !! I walked into that one. lol. Yes that does just about answer my question. Thank you.
Dont throw your butts O/B . I was in the Whitsunday Islands recently and was told a story about a giant green sea turtle that was found washed up dead on a local beach , they did an autopsy on this bloody thing and found its stomach full of butts . If you,ve ever tried to flush a fag down the toilet you,ll know what I mean , the damn things float forever . And turtles , being an air breather , surface , see these damn things and mistake them for whatever it is they eat off the sea floor . Smoking doesn't just kill people
@@philshea7525 " If you,ve ever tried to flush a fag down the toilet you,ll know what I mean , the damn things float forever " And here in the U.S. that statement means something completely different. lol. Cheers!
I feel that if people take time and energy to pack their fancy attire for formal nights, either follow the rules in the dining hall on these nights, or go to the buffet!!!!! Really is upsetting when everyone is following the rules, and in comes a family dressed like they just came from the pool. The cruise lines should really adhere to this rule!
I agree. There either should be dress code that is enforced or none at all
I am always in debate about the medical form....I have IBS, and sometimes the stress of the traveling will trigger an episode....so far...answering Yes, explaining my condition to the ship nurse when interviewed, and showing my medications--never had a problem getting on. I just want to answer no to avoid that exercise.
Since you know you aren’t contagious I don’t see how you’re affecting anyone else. It’s the people who don’t have other conditions who are likely sick and lie about it so they can go anyway. I watched a blog where a girl admitted she had a 101 degree fever the morning of embarkation, but she still went on the cruise. If you do answer yes they scan you for a fever and ask you some quick questions.
One of my cruises on Carnival spirit, there were kids diving in the pool, i told the life guard but he leaned over me and im certain he mouthed "keep going" geez, im only worried for their saftey
I know this isn't a current rule, but previously for musters/safety briefings, you were supposed to locate and put on the life vest in your cabin. I was surprised at the last cruise that we didn't have to do that anymore. They are saying now that it's safer and causes less confusion for passengers to leave them in the cabin while they navigate the ship.
That's a shame about the interacting with the crew. It also explains why officers have been far more inclined to play table tennis with me than other crew! I heard maybe that Azamara, after their little accident, has been re-branding in a way that encourages more interaction between passenger and crew. Has anyone else heard this?
I always go on the drill every time I cruise.
Excellent. Me too
It’s simply the better thing to do
One has too. Your name is c called out for a separate drill if you miss it.
@@chriswilliams6568 Yeah, in the last couple years, I've never been on a boat that you didn't at least have to tell them your name and cabin number, but most just scan your ship card now. Most, now, muster inside in the A/C. It did suck to have to stand shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of people in the heat on deck while they try to explain to obviously really stupid people how to put on a lifejacket that has one strap. But... I also have to wonder about the people who fly who have to be told how to use the seat belt. I mean, obviously there were enough of them sitting there confused to where they made it mandatory to explain to everyone now? lol.
You kind of have to. Uou get in trouble if you dont even though I HATE muster drill
Most cruise lines don't enforce the dress codes.. which is great. I'm on vacation. I want a choice as to what I wear, not be told what to wear. My dress is appropriate and that is enough.
Very helpful info! Gary: if the passenger reports an
ailment before boarding, will s/he be rescheduled for no additional fee for
another cruise?
Someone got swine flu on my Disney cruise in 2009 but didn't want to leave so they just got quarantined in their room for the week
@@ScDarkness913 So mean and so unkind... High sea navigations were always tough and rough business…
Carnival Mirical I as the ships doctor for peptobismol due to bad shrimp cocktail she restricted me to my cabin, she was rude and unprofessional...!